Weight Loss Wednesday

An easy way to make sure your getting fruits into your diet is a smoothie. I don't really like to eat berries so I find it much easier to drink them and enjoy their antioxidants. I use my Nutribullet to make my smoothies. It's so quick and efficient.
Ingredients: banana,  frozen strawberries, frozen raspberries, pineapples, blueberries, chia and flax seeds + water.
Feel free to omit or add any thing else you want, it's important that you like it. Sometimes I only use Strawberries, Raspberries, and Pineapple and it tastes amazing! Seeds are great to add to your smoothie. They don't effect taste, and are filled with fiber, protein, omega 3 while making you feel a lot fuller than you would without them. Personally, I don't add any greens to my smoothies because I have greens in my lunch and dinner so I enjoy the sweetness.

                                           Whats your favorite smoothie recipe?
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Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

I had never tried a mask before I used Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. You could say my life will never be the same. I received it for Christmas, and I was so excited to try it. I was waiting for the perfect moment to use it. I've used it a couple of times, and each time prior to using it I had small breakouts on my cheeks, eyebrows, and chin. My skin is really sensitive to hair removal so when I wax a few zits like to make an appearance. First I opened my pores by using a very warm cloth. Then I slowly layered on the mask just like the instructions say. Applying it is a bit of a messy process. Finally I let it sit for about 15 minutes. During this time I kept laughing at how ridiculous I looked. I popped in my earphones and read my biology book. While I was waiting I noticed that my skin kept getting tighter sort of as if I had Botox aha. It was mildly uncomfortable. The mask felt like a rock. I rinsed my face a few times with warm water and as the mask dissolved the results were immediate. My breakout was practically gone. My skin felt soft, and it looked whiter. The blackheads on my nose were way less noticeable. The only downside is that my skin felt a little dry, but extra moisturizer fixed that easily. I tend to use it when my skin feels unbalanced and needs equilibrium. It's definitely worth picking up for quick skin fix.

                              Do you like Origins masks? What other masks have you tried?
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Weight Loss Wednesday / Week 2

Apologies for the late post. I've had a full week of class, and I've been a bit worn out. Today's Weight Loss Wednesday is about H2O. I used to never drink water. My problem was that I was drinking a majority of my calories. So over the past month I've been drinking at least 5-6 15oz bottles of water. At first it was a bit difficult because water is a bit plain, but it is so refreshing. I make sure to drink 2-3 bottles/cups in throughout the morning/day and 2-3 bottles/cups in the evening/night depending how late I'm up. If I'm at home I drink from a cup ~15oz.  I find it easier to stick to water when I have a fruit smoothie for breakfast because it is sweet and loaded with healthy goodness while satisfying any sweet cravings. Water has so many benefits for our body it's important to make sure to drink some everyday.

To keep track of how much water I drink, I downloaded this cute app called Plant Nanny. Every time you drink water you touch the circle and it tells you how much more water you need to drink. The more water you drink the more your plant grows. It also calculated how much water my body needs by inputing my weight, and height. It's pretty nifty.
                                                          Do you drink enough water? 
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Benefit's They're Real Mascara

Yeah, I know I'm super late to the party with this one, but I just felt the urge to share my thoughts on everyone's beloved mascara. Of course I bought this because so many bloggers swore by it, and perhaps it is just me, but after using this mascara a few times you could say I'm not a happy camper.
First of all it's $23 which meant I had pretty high expectations. When compared to other high end mascaras that I own They're Real seems more like a drugstore mascara. It only adds length, and because I have long thick lashes almost every mascara I use works well. I find that it adds some length, but not enough to justify it's worth. The brush easily clumps my lashes together which is rather annoying. I do appreciate the top of the bristles that are pointed outwards. They make it easy to coat the inner lashes. After two coats my lashes become clumpy, and after wearing the mascara for a few hours my eyes get irritated. To be honest I won't be repurchasing it, and I am so over hyped products. I could say that my Cover Girl Lash Blast works better for me.
                                What did you think of Benefit's They're Real Mascara?
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Weight Loss Wednesday / Week 1

As some of you may know,  one of my new years resolutions is to be fit. I have finally come to terms with my body, and I have a better understanding of health and exercise. About three weeks ago I started working out, and drinking a lot of water. Slowly I have been planning healthy meals, and snacks so I don't have an excuse to eat junk. I can already feel a difference in how my clothes fit, and how energetic I am now, but the coolest part is that I'm enjoying eating "healthy".
 I thought it would be really fun and motivating to join a group of bloggers who also have the same goals. Anyone can join no matter what your goal is, or where you live, or what type of blogger you are. Here's the link with more information. Simply contact Jennifer and she will add you to the group. It's such a fun way to connect, and stay motivated once the new years buzz fades.

My goal is to lose 10 lbs or more.. I've tried a few times in the past, but I was doing it wrong. Fad diets, starving, excessive cardio are some of the things I've tried, and I just couldn't stick with it. This time, I'm making sure my body is getting the nutrients it needs to thrive by eating fruits, vegetables, carbs, and drinking lots of water. My work outs are mostly light cardio, weights, and toning exercises. I've also started yoga on Sundays. If I feel too sore from my workouts then I'll rest a day or two. I'm hoping to weigh myself until March because I can easily obsess with numbers and weigh my self everyday which is not a good idea. I'm aiming more for fat loss than a specific number. For reference I'm 5"8 and my weight is currently "normal", but it doesn't feel that way to me. I am also a size 7 in USA pants. I think I can slim down a bit. Overall I just want to be healthy and happy with my body.
                                                     
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Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion

Moisturizing is an essential step in any skin care routine. My all time favorite moisturizer is Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. My skin is dry combination so I have to make sure that it gets the moisture and hydration that it needs. This moisturizer is for very dry or dry combination skin so I wouldn't recommend it to those who have oily skin. I use a pump everyday and it keeps my dryness away. The product itself feels not too thick but not too thin. It easily sinks into my skin and the tightness and dryness disappears. I noticed that since I began to use it I no longer have cakey foundation or patches that are emphasized by my makeup. I have used it every single day for more than a year and it hasn't let me down. I also drink lots of water to ensure my skin's hydration.

                                     
                                                What is your favorite moisturizer? 
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New Years Inspiration

Picture Source

Inspiration for the new year is the first topic of the 2014 Blogger Challenge. The challenge part is using images to portray resolutions. I've decided to be realistic with mine. I only have a few. Can you guess what they are?
                                         What are your new years resolutions? Have an awesome new year! 
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